Headband apparatus

ABSTRACT

A headband device includes a headband member having two end portions, an endless resilient strap, and a coupling or attaching device for detachably and changeably attaching the endless resilient strap onto the end portions of the headband member and for allowing the endless resilient strap to be changeably attached to or disengaged from the end portions of the headband member and thus for allowing the endless resilient strap to be changed with the other new straps when the previous resilient strap has been broken or damaged. The attaching device includes two fastening members attached to the end portions of the headband member for detachably securing the endless resilient strap to the headband member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hair barrette or headband apparatus, and more particularly to a headband apparatus including a structure for easily and changeably attaching an endless rubber or resilient strap thereto and for solidly attaching onto the head of the user.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical hair barrette or headband devices comprise a curved or arch-shaped decorative elongate frame having a suitable resilience for resiliently attaching onto the head of the user and/or for styling the hair of the user.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,697,919 to Knepper, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,532 to Williams discloses two of the typical headbands each including a rubber band or elasticized element attached to the two ends of the curved or arch-shaped decorative elongate frame for firmly or solidly attaching the frame onto the head of the user and/or for preventing the frame from being disengaged from the head of the user.

However, the elasticized element includes two ends that are required to be secured to the ends of the frame with clips or jaws or grommets, and the elasticized element may not be changed with the other new ones when the previous elasticized element has been broken or damaged.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,488 to Jurgensen et al. discloses a further typical headband apparatus including a headband portion attached at opposite ends to an elastic member which extends through the length of a covering member.

However, the elastic member should be previously engaged into the covering member with such as manufacturing machines and may not be engaged into the covering member by the users themselves. In addition, the elastic member also may not be changed with the other new ones when the previous elastic member has been broken or damaged.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional headband apparatuses or hair barrette devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a hair barrette or headband apparatus including a structure for easily and changeably attaching an endless rubber or resilient strap onto a headband member and for solidly attaching the headband member onto the head of the user and for preventing the headband member from being disengaged from the head of the user.

The other objective of the present invention is to provide a hair barrette or headband apparatus including an endless rubber or resilient strap easily and quickly and detachably or changeably attached onto the end portions of the headband member for allowing the endless resilient strap to be changed with the other new straps, particularly when the previous endless resilient strap has been broken or damaged.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a headband apparatus comprising a headband member including two end portions, a resilient strap, and two fastening members attached to the end portions of the headband member respectively for engaging with the resilient strap and for detachably securing the resilient strap onto the end portions of the headband member and for allowing the resilient strap to be changeably attached to or disengaged from the end portions of the headband member.

The fastening members each include a buckle attached thereto and for forming a loop-shaped structure and for receiving and engaging with the endless resilient strap.

The headband member includes a lock hole formed in each of the end portions of the headband member for engaging with the buckles and for forming the loop-shaped fastening member.

The resilient strap includes two ends secured together to form an endless resilient strap, for example, the two ends of the resilient strap may be secured together with a welding, a tubular member, or the like.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a headband apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the headband apparatus;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the operation of the headband apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the attachment of the headband apparatus onto the head of the user;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the other arrangement of the headband apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the operation of the headband apparatus as shown in FIG. 5;

FIGS. 7, 8 are exploded views similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrating the further arrangement of the headband apparatus; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the operation of the headband apparatus as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a hair barrette or headband apparatus 1 in accordance with the present invention comprises an arch-shaped or curved decorative elongate frame or headband member 10 including two end portions 11, 12, and optionally including one or more openings 14 for such as decorative purposes or for air circulation purposes, and optionally including one or more decorative words or patterns (not shown) applied thereon, and further including a rubber or resilient strap 20 to be detachably attached to the two end portions 11, 12 of the curved headband member 10 for firmly or solidly attaching the curved headband member 10 onto the head 80 of the user (FIGS. 4, 6) and for preventing the curved headband member 10 from being disengaged from the head 80 of the user. The curved headband member 10 and the rubber or resilient strap 20 are typical and will not be described in further details.

The barrette or headband apparatus 1 in accordance with the present invention further comprises a securing or attaching means or device 30 for detachably attaching the rubber or resilient strap 20 onto the two end portions 11, 12 of the curved headband member 10 and for allowing the endless rubber or resilient strap 20 to be easily disengaged from and to be changeably attached or secured onto the two end portions 11, 12 of the curved headband member 10, and to be easily and quickly changed with the other new straps 20, particularly when the previous rubber or resilient strap 20 has been broken or damaged. It is to be noted that the rubber or resilient straps 20 are typically available everywhere, but may not be easily attached or secured onto the two end portions 11, 12 of the curved headband member 10, and the securing or attaching means or device 30 is provided for easily and quickly and detachably attaching the rubber or resilient strap 20 onto the two end portions 11, 12 of the curved headband member 10.

The curved headband member 10 includes an orifice or a lock hole 16 formed in each of the end portions 11, 12 of the curved headband member 10. The securing or attaching means or device 30 includes two couplers or fastening members 31 attached or secured to or extended from the two end portions 11, 12 of the curved headband member 10. For example, the couplers or fastening members 31 each include one end portion 32 attached or secured to the respective end portions 11, 12 of the curved headband member 10 with such as latches or fasteners (not shown), or extended from the respective end portions 11, 12 of the curved headband member 10 by molding the end portion 32 of the couplers or fastening member 31 into the end portions 11, 12 of the curved headband member 10. The couplers or fastening members 31 each may further include a lock or buckle 33 attached to the other end portion 34 of the couplers or fastening member 31. The rubber or resilient strap 20 may include two ends 21, 22 secured together with a knot or welding 5 for forming an endless rubber or resilient strap 20.

In operation, as shown in FIG. 2, the other end portion 34 of the couplers or fastening member 31 may be folded to form a ring or loop-shaped structure 36 and may have the buckle 33 engaged with the end portion 11, 12 of the curved headband member 10, such as engaged with the lock hole 16 of the curved headband member 10 or engaged with the end portion 32 of the couplers or fastening member 31 for forming the ring or loop-shaped structure 36 and for receiving or engaging with the endless rubber or resilient strap 20, and thus for easily and quickly and changeably attaching or securing the rubber or resilient strap 20 onto the end portions 11, 12 of the curved headband member 10, and thus for allowing the rubber or resilient strap 20 to be easily and quickly changed with the other new straps 20, particularly when the previous rubber or resilient strap 20 has been broken or damaged. The buckles 33 or the other end portion 34 of the fastening member 31 may further be optionally and solidly secured to the end portion 32 of the fastening member 31 or to the headband member 10 by welding processes with ultrasonic waves or the like, for example.

It is to be noted that the headband member 10 may be formed into various shapes or contours or structure or configuration, and may have one or more decorative words or patterns applied thereon for such as decorative purposes. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the headband member 10 may be formed into an increased size or diameter or dimension for attaching onto the upper front portion of the head 80 of the user. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the headband member 10 may be formed into a reduced size or diameter or dimension for engaging with the hair 88 of the user and for such as forming a tail. Similarly, the headband member 10 may also be formed into the other shapes or contours or structures or configurations or sizes or diameters or dimensions for engaging with the other portions of the user. The typical hair barrette or headband devices may not be used for detachably or changeably attaching an endless rubber or resilient strap 20 onto a headband member 10.

Further alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, the two ends 21, 22 of the rubber or resilient strap 2 may be selectively secured together with a tubular member 6 which may receive the two ends 21, 22 of the rubber or resilient strap 2; or the two ends 21, 22 of the rubber or resilient strap 2 may be engaged into the tubular member 6, and the tubular member 6 and the two ends 21, 22 of the rubber or resilient strap 2 may then be gripped or clamped or secured together with pliers (not shown) or the like for forming an endless rubber or resilient strap 2, and the endless rubber or resilient strap 2 may then be easily and quickly engaged with the loop-shaped structures 36 of the fastening members 31 of the securing or attaching means or device 30, for allowing two or more endless rubber or resilient straps 2 to be easily and quickly and changeably attached to the headband member 10 with the securing or attaching means or device 30.

Accordingly, the headband apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a structure for easily and changeably attaching an endless rubber or resilient strap thereto and for solidly attaching onto the head of the user.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A headband apparatus comprising: a headband member including two end portions, an endless resilient strap, and two fastening members attached to said end portions of said headband member respectively, said fastening members each including an openable loop-shaped structure and for receiving and engaging with said endless resilient strap and for detachably securing said endless resilient strap onto said end portions of said headband member and for allowing said endless resilient strap to be changeably attached to or disengaged from said end portions of said headband member.
 2. The headband apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fastening members each include a buckle attached thereto and for forming said openable loop-shaped structure.
 3. The headband apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said headband member includes a lock hole formed in each of said end portions of said headband member for engaging with said buckles and for forming the loop-shaped fastening member.
 4. The headband apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said endless resilient strap includes two ends secured together to form said endless resilient strap.
 5. The headband apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said two ends of said endless resilient strap are secured together with a tubular member. 